Pounding the Parks

A nice route that takes you through several parks, once the grounds of the many grand Victorian estates, and back along the old railway line which is now the Worth Way

Start Point: Grattons Park car-park, St Mary’s Drive (by the railway bridge) Distance/Duration: 3/3.5 miles / 1/1.5 hours

Difficulty: Easy, no hills or undulating surfaces. Parts can be wet and muddy so sturdy footwear is recommended

Accessibility: The majority of the walk consists of surfaced paths so may be suitable for buggies. Some sections may not be suitable for wheelchairs. There are no stiles on the route.

Refreshments/Facilities: Food/drink/shopping at . Parking at Grattons Park

Directions Information

1. Starting at the car park, continue This area was designated as a Local Nature straight on into the park to where the path Reserve in January 1998. splits and follow the route left with the railway line on your left. 2. Follow this around the top of the park and enter the woodland before crossing the and go through the gate into an open area. Continue straight across the playing fields with the houses on your left. 3. Cross Grattons Drive and enter Milton This area is a Site of Nature Conservation Mount Gardens and lake. Pass Milton Mount Importance (SNCI). In the middle of the lake lake, by bearing to the right twice and is an abundant mix of white and yellow keeping the lake on your left. Follow the path water-lilies with plants such as Water Mint, until you reach Selwyn Close and keep to the Marsh Speedwell and Gypsywort being found left until the junction with Sommerville in other areas. Drive.

4. Go straight on over the road to the path up The gardens stand on the site of the Worth the hill into Milton Mount Gardens. Continue Park House, one of Victorian ’s over the walled ditch and follow to the right country estates and home to the of the pond. Turn right towards the croquet Montefioire family. lawn and go around the lawn anti-clockwise to the far side.

5.Turn right past the small steps and bench and then turn left at the t-junction of the paths. To your right is the tennis court. Continue on the path that skirts the perimeter of the gardens and cross Milton Mount Avenue by the letter box keeping Ridleys Court Flats on your left. Follow the path until you meet Balcombe Road. 6.Cross the road and turn right to the round On the corner is one of Crawley’s oldest about. Turn left into Copthorne Road and properties. “Ridleys” is a Grade 2 listed continue for approximateky 125m. Cross the building and is still used as a family road and follow the footpath past the play home. area before turning left down the short slope to Bashford Way. 7.Turn left and follow the pavement around the corner for about 200m before you meet the junction with Stace Way. Turn right and within 50m cross the road and follow the path between 50 and 52 Stace Way. 8. Entering Crabbett Park open space and Crabbett Park was owned by the diarist follow the path bearing right . Continue up the and explorer Wilfrid Scawen Blunt in the hill through the line of trees and carry on late nineteenth century. between the small copse and the fences of the houses on the right. 9.At the very top, cross the path and then turn right along the avenue of trees until you reach the junction of Kelso Close and The Ridings. 10. Continue straight on into the second avenue of trees leading to Turner’s Hill Road. Cross the road and continue straight on to Church Road. 11.Turn right and follow the public footpath Worth Way is a seven mile (11 kilometre) down Green Lane. Turn left at the Balcombe route from Three Bridges to East Road and walk for about 70 metres before Grinstead opened in 1979. It follows the turning right on to Worth Way and follow route of the railway which was closed in signs for Three Bridges railway station and the 1960’s as part of the Beeching line Crawley. closures.

12. At Billton Drive turn right and continue until reaching Worth Park Avenue. Turn left at Worth Park Avenue and cross over the road at Three Bridges railway station to follow the public footpath at the side of the public house.

13. Continue along the footpath bearing right with the Gatwick Stream on your right. Continue until reaching the road and going under the railway and reaching Grattons Park car-park on your left.